The Mark of Athena Read by Rick Riordan
by ThieaTitanOfShiningLight
Summary: The OFFICIAL FIRST CHAPTER OF THE MARK OF ATHENA! EVERYONE, CELEBRATE!


**Hey guys (and girls), here is Rick Riordan's OFFICIAL first chapter for the mark of Athena. Recently, I discovered that Rick Riordan had read his first chapter and I quickly looked on YouTube to hear it. So, I decided to type out the chapter so you guys could read it! I don't guarantee that it is an exact copy but, I made it as close as I could. Yes, I will be continuing with my OTHER story but anyway, here goes: **

DISCLAIMER: I do not own PJ&O or HoO. Plus, this came from Rick Riordan`s mouth :).

Chapter One, from The Mark of Athena

Annabeth

Until she met the exploding statue, Annabeth thought she was prepared for anything. She paced the deck of the Argo 2, checking and double checking the ballistae to make sure they were locked down. She confirmed that the white flag was flying from the mast; she reviewed the plan with the rest of the crew, and the backup plan, and the backup plan for the backup plan. But most importantly, she pulled aside their war crazed chaperone, Gleeson Hedge, and encouraged him to take the morning off in his cabin, watching reruns of mixed martial arts championships. The last thing they needed, flying a magical Greek trireme into a potentially hostile Roman Camp, was a middle aged satyr in gym clothes waving a club and yelling, "DIE!" **(A/N *sigh* that is so Gleeson)**

Everything seemed to be in order, even that mysterious chill she had been feeling since the ship launched, seemed to have dissipated for now. The war ship descended through the clouds, but Annabeth couldn't stop second guessing herself, what if this was a bad idea? What if the Roman's panicked and attacked on sight? The Argo 2 defiantly did not look friendly. 2oo feet long with a bronze plated hull, a flaming metal dragon for a mast head, mounted repeating crossbows fore and aft, and two rotating ballistae mid ship that could fire explosive bolts powerful enough to blast threw concrete. Well, it wasn't the most appropriate ride for a meet and greet with the neighbours.

Annabeth had tried to give the Romans a heads up. She had asked Leo to send one of his special inventions, a holographic scroll to alert their friends in the camp. Hopefully the message had got through. Leo had wanted to paint a giant message on the bottom of the hull, 'WAZZZZA!' with a smiley face, but Annabeth had vetoed the idea. She wasn't sure the Romans had a sense of humor.

Too late to turn back now, the clouds broke around their hull revealing the golden green carpet of the Oakland hills below them. Annabeth griped the bronze shields that lined the side of the starboard railing. Her three crewmates took their places. On the stern quarter deck, Leo rushed around like a mad man, checking his gauges and wrestling with leavers. Most helmsmen would've been satisfied with a pilot's wheel or a ruder. Leo had installed a keyboard, a monitor, aviation controls from a Learjet, a dubstep sound board, and motion control sensors from a Nintendo Wii. He could turn the ship by pulling the throttle, fire weapons by sampling an album, or raise the sails by shaking his Wii controllers really fast! Even by Demigod standards, Leo was seriously ADHD! **(A/N Sooo true!)**

Piper, paced back and forth between the main mast and the ballistae, practicing her lines, "Lower your weapons," she murmured. "We just want to talk." Her Charm Speak was so powerful the words flowed over Annabeth, filling her with the desire to drop her dagger and have a nice long chat. For a child of Aphrodite, Piper tried really hard to play down her beauty. Today, she was wearing tattered jeans, torn sneakers, and a white tank top with pink Hello Kitty designs. Maybe a joke though Annabeth could never be sure of Piper. Her choppy brown hair was braided down one side with an eagle's feather.

Then, there was Pipers boyfriend, Jason **(A/N IKR! Thumbs up for Jiper!) **He stood at the bow, on a raised crossbow platform, where the Romans could easily spot him. His knuckles were white on the hilt of his sword. Otherwise, he looked calm for a guy who was making himself a target. Over his jeans and his orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, he donned a toga and a purple cloak, the symbols of his old rank as Praetor. With his wind-ruffled blond hair, and his icy-blue eyes, he looked ruggedly handsome and in control, just like a son of Jupiter should. He'd grown up at Camp Jupiter so hopefully, his familiar face would make the Romans hesitate to blow them out of the sky.

Annabeth tried to hide it, but, she didn't really trust that guy. He acted too perfect, always following the rules, always doing the honorable thing, he even looked to perfect. In the back of her mind she had this nagging thought. What if this was is trick and he betrays us? What if we sail into Camp Jupiter and he says "Hey Romans! Check out these prisoners and this cool ship I brought you!" Annabeth didn't think that would happen still, she couldn't look at him without getting a bitter taste in her mouth.

He had been part of Hera's forced exchange program between the two camps. Without warning, Hera had plucked up Percy Jackson, Annabeth's boyfriend, wiped his memory and sent him to the Roman Camp. In exchange, the Greeks got Jason. That wasn't Jason's fault, but every time Annabeth saw him, she remembered how much she missed Percy. Percy, who might be below them somewhere right now. _Oh Gods_ panic welled up inside her, she forced it down. She couldn't afford to be overwhelmed now. _I'm a child of Athena, _she told herself, _I have to stick to my plan_ _and not get distracted. _

And Then, she felt it again, that familiar shiver, as if an evil snow-man had crept up behind her and was peering over her neck. She turned, but of course, no one was there. It must be her nerves. Annabeth wished she could pray to her mother for guidance but that wasn't possible. Not since last month, when she had the worst encounter with her mom ever, and had gotten a terrible, terrible present. (A/N The Mark of Athena?) The cold pressed closer, she thought she heard a faint voice on the wind, like laughter. Every muscle in her body tensed, something, was about to go terribly wrong. She almost ordered Leo to reverse course, and then, in the valley below, horns sounded.

The Romans had spotted them.

**DUN DUN DUN!**

**Wow, that was intense. PLEASE REVIEW TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR RICK RIORDAN! XD**

**Me: So, Percy, why should people review?**

**Percy: To see what happens to Percabeth.**

***Percy walks out***

**Me: *sigh* Percabeth…. Well, there you have it! Please review if you 3 Percabeth! (Or any other match for that matter, we don't know what happens yet…)**

**REVIEW!**


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